Orthorexia nervosa is perhaps best summarized as an obsession with healthy eating with associated restrictive behaviors. However, the attempt to attain optimum ...NCBISkiptomaincontentSkiptonavigationResourcesHowToAboutNCBIAccesskeysMyNCBISignintoNCBISignOutTryoutPMCLabsandtelluswhatyouthink.LearnMore.JournalListFedPractv.34(6);2017JunPMC6370446FedPract.2017Jun;34(6):36–39.PMCID:PMC6370446PMID:30766283OrthorexiaNervosa:AnObsessionWithHealthyEatingJonathanR.Scarff,MDAuthorinformationCopyrightandLicenseinformationDisclaimerDr.ScarffisapsychiatristattheWilliamJenningsBryanDornVACommunity-BasedOutpatientClinicinSpartanburg,SouthCarolinaCopyright©2017FrontlineMedicalCommunicationsInc.,Parsippany,NJ,USA.ThisarticlehasbeencitedbyotherarticlesinPMC.Despiteafocusoneating,orthorexianervosamayleadtomalnourishment,lossofrelationships,andpoorqualityoflife.FirstnamedbyStevenBratmanin1997,orthorexianervosa(ON)fromtheGreekortho,meaningcorrect,andorexi,meaningappetite,isclassifiedasanunspecifiedfeedingandeatingdisorderintheDiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisorders5thedition(DSM-5).1,2Mr.Pisa30-year-oldmalewhopresentedtothementalhealthclinicwithhiswife.Thepatientrecountedthathehadwantedto“behealthy”sincechildhoodandhasfocusedonexerciseandproperdiet,butanxietyaboutdietandfoodintakehavesteadilyincreased.Twoyearsago,headoptedavegetariandietbyprogressivelyeliminatingseveralfoodsandfoodgroupsfromhisdiet.Henowfeels“proud”toeatcertainorganicallygrownfruits,vegetables,nuts,beans,anddrinkonlyfruitorvegetablejuice.Hiswifestatedthathespentbetween3and5hoursdailypreparingfoodortalkingtofriendsandfamilyabout“correctfoodstoeat.”Healsobelievedthaterrorsindietaryhabitscausedphysicalormentalillnesses.Hereportedsignificantguiltandshamewheneverhe“slipsup”onhisdietaryregimenandeatsanythingcontainingseafood,beef,orporkproducts,whichhecorrectsbyadayoffasting.Hiswifewasfrustratedbecauseherefusedtogotorestaurantsandstarteddecliningoffersfromfriendstoeatdinnerattheirhomesunlesshecouldbringhispreparedfoo